Te Ana-au Caves, Show cave on Lake Te Anau, New Zealand

Te Ana-au is a show cave consisting of the lower 250 metres of the Aurora Cave karst system, on the eastern flank of the Murchison Mountains, reached from the western shore of Lake Te Anau. Visitors walk past a formation called the Cathedral, a waterfall, a whirlpool and a dam, then continue by punt through the water-filled galleries to the glowworm grotto.

Māori knew the cave as Te Ana-au long before it became a legend among settlers. Lawson Burrows began searching in the 1940s and found the entrance in April 1947; a flood in 1948 destroyed his first plans, but he persisted and opened the lower section to visitors. He and Wilson Campbell founded Fiordland Travels, sold in 1965 to Olive and Les Hutchins, whose company became Real Journeys in 2002 and RealNZ in 2022.

The name Te Ana-au comes from Māori: te (the), ana (cave) and au (swirling), after the water of the Tunnel Burn flowing through it. The same name belongs to Lake Te Anau itself. The stream is the outflow of Lake Orbell, about 3.5 km west, and it carved and still enlarges the passages.

Access involves a boat ride across Lake Te Anau followed by a guided exploration in groups of about 14 people. Bring warm clothing since temperatures inside the cave are quite cool.

Small boats glide through dark passages where thousands of bioluminescent glowworms native to New Zealand light up the cave ceiling. These glowing organisms create an otherworldly light display that many visitors find memorable.